Brooklyn Isn't Sleeping on Nets, Rest of NBA Should Follow Suit

As the game's final meaningless seconds ticked from eight to seven and six to five, the Brooklyn Nets had announced to the city of the New York that it would be a laughingstock no more. In the end, for Carmelo Anthony and his Knicks, 35—the amount of points he scored—wasn't the most memorable number.

Instead, it was six—the amount of free throws he missed. His New York Knicks defeated, for Anthony, the talk afterward wasn't what went right, but what went wrong.

Two days later in Boston, after Kris Humphries was needlessly and flagrantly attacked by Rajon Rondo and the Nets lost two-fifths of its starting lineup due to the ensuing ejections, they collaborated and persevered, holding on to defeat a Boston Celtics team that fought in vain to avenge the Nets Nov. 15 victory over them in Brooklyn.

Indeed, Brooklyn has become a chant.

But more importantly, right before our very eyes, Brooklyn has become a team.

Depth. Balance. Leadership. Cohesion.

At 11-4, finally, it's time to wake up and stop sleeping on Brooklyn.

The Nets, winners of five straight games, will challenge the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat in their American Airlines Arena on Saturday night. And the last time the Nets played there, they were soundly defeated, 103-73.

In the 12 games since then, though, the Nets have evolved. The 10 victories during that stretch is no aberration.

The porous perimeter has been plugged and entering play Friday night, the Nets were allowing opponents to score just 90.7 point per game—first in the NBA.

The team has shown patience and cohesion on the offensive end, despite the shooting struggles of the two top guns, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.

Brook Lopez—the once considered clumsy and immobile center that couldn't rebound—became an interior force, averaging 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 56 percent from the field.

Gerald Wallace has returned and has played with his normal reckless abandon, inspiring his teammates on both ends of the floor.

Andray Blatche, C.J. Watson and Jerry Stackhouse have gone from forgotten, taken for granted, and dismissed to being rejuvenated, respected, and remembered.

In the era of the super team, a solid eight man rotation is a requisite for supremacy. The first four off of the bench—Watson, Blatche, Stackhouse and Reggie Evans—have their individual roles. They each play their respective positions and they play them well. Together, the Nets are a greater sum than they are individually.

Still, the Nets have faults. Joe Johnson continues to struggle and the team seems to lack a killer instinct.

But these Nets—the Brooklyn Nets—is no longer the transient franchise we've grown accustomed to seeing since Bruce Ratner, on his 59th birthday, won the right to purchase the team for $300 million.

Brooklyn was the goal. A competitive team was the dream.

Now, we're here.

The Nets are a new team. Re-branded. Relocated. Re-rostered.

Five players returned from last season's team—six if you count Keith Bogans, who played just five games for the club last season before being released. 60 percent is a majority and 60 percent of this roster is new.

The 12-70 Nets were a long time ago. And those that stick to the stubborn proclamations that say the Nets are not a team to be taken seriously simply haven't been paying close enough attention.

Those critics, certainly, haven't crossed the Brooklyn Bridge recently. Clearly, they haven't taken the Long Island Railroad to Atlantic Terminal, and no, they've never entered Barclays Center from the Dean Street entrance.

Strength of schedule aside, the Nets haven't won games because opponents have laid down. The Nets have won games because they're a solid basketball team. These Nets are no fluke.

And whether or not the Nets win in Miami on Saturday night is immaterial. In the NBA, teams make hay by beating those they are supposed to beat, and the Heat do not yet qualify as a team that the Nets are "supposed" to beat.

Regardless of what happens on Saturday night, the NBA season is long and strenuous. Good wins, bad losses, mediocre efforts. From Dec. 1 to April 1, we'll see it all; four months of hills and valleys, just like any NBA team.

And like any other NBA team, the Nets aren't perfect. But what they are is balanced. Aside from the center position, the Nets are two deep everywhere else and all players in its rotation can—and have—led them to victory over the course of this young season.

They're not the most talented, but they are deep.

They're not yet universally respected, but they should be.

Before it's all said and done, they will be.

A tough stretch awaits, especially as the Nets await the return of Brook Lopez. Prior to suffering a ligament sprain in his right foot, Lopez was putting it all together. Uninterrupted forays into the paint became blocked shots at the rim and needless turnovers in the post became converted free-throws.

Lopez became an anchor for the Nets and the team will be tested in his absence. But at full strength, even if the Nets haven't yet proven that they're championship contenders, they have proven that they're worthy of universal respect.

Brooklyn smelled the coffee long ago—long before me. The borough has been awake. Now, it's time for the rest of the league to catch up.

Oh yes, Brooklyn has become a chant, but more importantly Brooklyn has become a team.

The Nets have recalled F Chris McCullough from their D-League affiliate, the team announced Wednesday night.

The team had assigned McCullough to the Long Island Nets earlier in the day and scored 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting in 34 minutes against the Erie Bayhawks. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and has two assists.

The Nets host the Nuggets at Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night in Brooklyn.

According to STATS...

The Nets have won the last five games against the Nuggets, their longest win streak against a single opponent since defeating the Suns five consecutive times from 2011-12 to 2013-14.

Denver forced a season-high 19 turnovers in Monday's 106-98 win against the 76ers. The Nuggets force an average of 12.0 turnovers a game, which is the second lowest in the NBA this season (Jazz -- 11.7).

The Nets have attempted 696 threes in 20 games this season, which is the second most thru a team's first 20 games since at least the 1985-86 season (2016-17 Rockets -- 740).

Nets welcome Wizards to Brooklyn

Dec 5 | 1:35PM

Washington has had two days to digest its last-second loss to the Spurs and is hoping to get it done Monday night when it visits the Brooklyn Nets.

The Wizards are 6-12 with three losses in their last four games. It is the last two defeats that are especially frustrating.

Last Wednesday against Oklahoma City, the Wizards came back from a 16-point deficit and held a seven-point lead with 5:35 left on a 3-pointer by Bradley Beal. They wound up with a 126-115 overtime loss by going 6-of-19 the rest of the way.

Tonight's Game: Nets vs. Bucks

Dec 1 | 6:25PM

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Barclays Center. (Brad Penner)

The Nets (5-12) take on the Milwaukee Bucks (8-8) at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

According to STATS:

The Bucks have won seven of the last eight matchups against the Nets, including a 110-108 home win on October 29 earlier this season.

Milwaukee defeated Cleveland 118-101 on Tuesday, snapping its three-game losing streak versus the Cavs. The Bucks scored 68 points in the paint, which is tied for the third-most paint points scored in an NBA game this year.

Nov 30 | 7:44AM

Guard Sean Kilpatrick scored 31 of his career-high 38 points after the third quarter to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback and 127-122 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at Barclays Center.

The Nets trailed 89-73 when Kilpatrick scored 20 points during a 26-10 run that tied the game at 99.

"I ended getting into a zone,'' Kilpatrick said, according to the New York Post's Brian Lewis. "At that point there was no turning back for me."

He scored six points in the first overtime and five more in the second overtime, including a three-point play with 13 seconds left that turned a 124-122 lead into a two-possession game.

Sean Kilpatrick scored 31 of his career-high 38 points after the third quarter and the Brooklyn Nets stopped a seven-game losing streak with a 127-122 double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.

The Clippers started the game without Blake Griffin, ended it without the ejected coach Doc Rivers and dropped their third straight game by blowing an 18-point lead.

Chris Paul had 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, but the best guard on the floor in crunch time was Kilpatrick, who also had a career-best 14 rebounds.

Nets looking to end losing streak as Kings visit

Nov 27 | 12:27PM

The last time the Sacramento Kings won a road game over the Brooklyn Nets, the arena was located across the Hudson River and adjacent to a major highway. The Kings will attempt to get their first road win over the Nets in nearly nine years when the teams meet Sunday night at Barclays Center.

Nets battle with Celtics in Brooklyn

Nov 23 | 1:00PM

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Barclays Center. (Brad Penner)

When a defense slips significantly coaches frequently refer to it as "slippage".

Lately, the Brooklyn Nets have used the term frequently when discussing their many defensive ailments.

Practice time has been limited but the Nets will have had two days to see if drills carry over into a game setting Wednesday night when they host the Boston Celtics and attempt to end an ugly four-game losing streak.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in his fourth triple-double of the season, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Brooklyn Nets 124-105 on Friday night.

Tonight's Game: Nets at Thunder

Nov 18 | 6:08PM

The Nets play the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Friday night. According to STATS...

The Nets have won five of their last seven games versus the Thunder after Oklahoma City took the previous seven meetings.

Brooklyn has had at least 40 points in the paint in 10 of its first 11 games this season. Those 10 games are tied for the third most by any team. The Nets had a season-high 66 points in the paint against the Lakers on Tuesday.

Nets ready for clash with Thunder

Nov 18 | 3:00PM

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(Kirby Lee)

The past three days have been pretty hectic for Russell Westbrook. The Oklahoma City guard handed out thanksgiving dinners at the Boys & Girls Club Tuesday, beat Houston with a viral-worth dunk Wednesday and then was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame by Michael Jordan Thursday.

"It's an unbelievable honor, man," Westbrook said before the ceremonies. "It's something you don't take for granted. So definitely a blessing and something you won't forget. MJ took the time out of his day to come all the way to Oklahoma City to do this for me. it's an honor. I'm happy to have him here."

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Nets fall to Lakers, 125-118

Nov 16 | 12:51AM

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(Mark J. Terrill)

One night after being dominated by the Clippers, the Nets fared a little better against the other Los Angeles basketball team. They were competiitive until the end but ultimately fell, 125-118. Brook Lopez scored a team-high 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 29 points. Lopez also became the franchise leader in blocked shots, passing George Johnson in the process. D'Angelo Russell had a triple-double, scoring a game-high 32 points and having 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He also knocked down five three-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the game. Timofey Mozgov added 20 points and six rebounds in the win.

Nets blown out by Clippers, 127-95

Nov 15 | 12:27AM

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(Mark J. Terrill)

Chris Paul scored 21 points and had nine assists, while Blake Girffin added 20 points as the Clippers beat the Brooklyn Nets, 127-95. The Clippers opened the game against the Nets on a 35-7 run and never looked back. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 18 points for Brooklyn, while contributing two rebounds. Sean Kilpatrick chipped in 14 points as he continues to start without the injured Jeremy Lin. Brooklyn turned the ball over a seaon-high 22 times. The Nets were without Lin and Brook Lopez, who was on the bench to rest.

Nets head to LA to take on Clippers

Nov 14 | 5:16PM

Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Barclays Center. (Brad Penner)

LOS ANGELES -- The NBA's top-rated defense and an unblemished road record have the Los Angeles Clippers sitting pretty and fashioning the league's best record.

The Clippers (9-1) will go for their seventh win in a row Monday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets.

Over the weekend, Los Angeles capped a two-game trip with back-to-back wins at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday and at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. By beating the Thunder, the Clippers avenged their lone loss, an 85-83 decision at home on Nov. 2.

Nov 14 | 1:30PM

PG Isaiah Whitehead (concussion) is probable for the Nets matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, while Caris LeVert (left foot rehab) and Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) remain out, the team announced Monday afternoon.

Whitehead suffered the concussion during Brooklyn's win against the Timberwolves last week, and has missed the last two games. The Coney Island native is averaging 4.7 points, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per game during his rookie season. The Nets selected Whitehead with the 42nd overall pick in this year's draft.

The Nets (3-5) take on the Suns in Phoenix (3-6) on Saturday night at 9 p.m.

According to STATS...

Brooklyn and Phoenix have split their last four meetings after the Nets took the previous five meetings.

The Nets have turned the ball over at least 15 times in all eight of their games in 2016-17. That is their longest such streak to start a season since they turned the ball over 15+ times in their first eight games of the 1996-97 season.

Pace is playing a key role in how the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns are performing on offense.

Heading into Saturday game in Phoenix, the Nets and Suns own among the quickest paces in the league.

The Nets are averaging 103.50 possessions per game through their first eight games in new coach Kenny Atkinson's motion offense. The Suns have averaged 104.37 possessions through their first nine games.

The Nets (3-4) take on the Knicks (2-4) at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

According to STATS...

Brooklyn is 6-2 in its last eight games against the Knicks, sweeping four games in 2014-15 before a 2-2 split last season. The home team won all four matchups last season.

The Nets set season highs in points (119) and field-goal percentage (.553) in last night's 119-110 home win over Minnesota. All three Brooklyn wins this season have come at home; the Nets are 0-2 on the road and have lost 14 consecutive road contests going back to early March.

The Knicks have allowed at least 100 points in each of their first six games of a season for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign (seven straight). They rank 26th in the NBA with 109.8 points allowed per game.

Two defensively challenged teams square off Wednesday in the first installment this season for basketball supremacy in New York.

The Brooklyn Nets (3-4) make a quick jaunt across the East River to face the New York Knicks (2-4) in the first of four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals.

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Nets sign Ferrell from D-League, place Whitehead in concussion protocol

Nov 9 | 5:37PM

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(Noah K. Murray)

The Nets have waived guard Greivis Vasquez, signed Yogi Ferrell from their D-League affiliate to replace him and have placed Isaiah Whitehead in the concussion protocol, the team announced Wednesday.

Ferrell was waived by the Nets in late October and has since played for the Long Island Nets.

Whitehead, who slammed his face into the floor during Tuesday's game against the Timberwolves, experienced concussion sypmtoms on Wednesday. He will remain in the protocol until he stops experiencing symptoms.

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Lopez scores 26 points as Nets top Timberwolves, 119-110

Nov 8 | 10:17PM

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(Brad Penner)

Brook Lopez scored 26 points, and the Brooklyn Nets kept the Minnesota Timberwolves winless on the road with a 119-110 victory Tuesday night.

The Nets shot 55.3 percent from the field and had eight players with at least nine points, a surprisingly easy offensive performance against a young Wolves team that clearly hasn't yet grasped Tom Thibodeau's defensive schemes.

Trevor Booker added 15 points and Sean Kilpatrick had 14 for the Nets.

Nets face off with Timberwolves in Brooklyn Tuesday

By Matt Citak | Nov 8 | 1:00PM

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Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) gestures after scoring a three point basket during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center. (Anthony Gruppuso)

While a 2-4 start to a season may not sound impressive, the Brooklyn Nets have performed a lot better than many people believed they would. Besides for a blowout loss against the Bulls, the Nets lost their other three games by a combined 11 points. Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Andy Greer has watched tape and seen that Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson is getting maximum effort from his team, a roster consisting of five players that are 23 years old or younger.

"They're playing younger guys than they did in the past," Greer told SNY.tv. "But you know, they still have Brook Lopez, who's really good. They're playing really hard. Kenny [Atkinson] is doing a good job with them."

It is no surprise that Lopez is the leader and star of this young Brooklyn Nets team. In his ninth season with the Nets, Lopez is the team's longest tenured member. But this season has seen a new addition to Lopez's arsenal of moves.

The 6-foot-9 forward has appeared in only two games this season, finishing with two points and two rebounds in four minutes during Brooklyn's season opener against Boston, and zero points and three rebounds in the Nets' blowout loss to Chicago.

Brook Lopez: A journeyman of his own kind

By Matt Citak | Nov 7 | 6:30PM

When one thinks of an NBA journeyman, what comes to mind is a veteran player that has found his way around the league, playing for several teams throughout his career. Joe Smith is the perfect example. Smith played in the NBA for 16 seasons, and yet never played more than three consecutive years for the same team. That led to Smith moving around between 11 different organizations in his 16-year career (which doesn't even include his second time around with the Timberwolves or the 76ers).

The biggest move Brook Lopez has dealt with since entering the NBA has been the Nets' transition from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Although Lopez has stayed with the same team his entire career, the rollercoaster of an experience he has dealt with while with the Nets makes him a journeyman of his own kind.

The New Jersey Nets drafted Lopez with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. In his first NBA game, the rookie center came off the bench and finished with eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes. Lopez would go on to win Rookie of the Month in both January and February, and finished the season averaging 13.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in only 30.5 minutes per game. He placed third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, trailing only Derrick Rose and OJ Mayo. Although they finished 34 - 48 and failed to make the postseason for the second straight season since the departure of the franchise's all-time great Jason Kidd, the Nets finally had a reason for hope, and it came in the shape of their 7-foot tall rookie center.